Tanzania was listed at the 17th place in a list of the top 52 places to visit in 2015 by The New York Times.
Speaking to the Daily News Tanzania, the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism Lazaro Nyalandu indicated that the report will help to further enhance the tourism industry in Tanzania and gives proof of the ongoing efforts to improve policies and practices in the tourism sector.
“The New York report makes all of us in Tanzania proud,” he said, “It is a demonstration of our continued efforts to implement the right policies related to tourism.”
The New York Times report attributes security fears in neighboring Kenya combined with new lodging options in Tanzania to the recent increase in tourism arrivals.
“Security fears in neighboring Kenya have inadvertently worked in Tanzania’s favor,” reads the report, “Its luxurious new lodges are enticing diverted visitors.”
Tanzania is aiming to simultaneously become a global leader in conservation while also increasing tourist arrivals to as many as 5 million by 2020.
According to the latest official statistics in 2013, a total of 1,135,884 tourists visited Tanzania.
“These require sustained investments in hotel and other tourist related infrastructure and we are committed to do that,” the Minister said.
